About Hugh de Lacy, 1st Earl of Ulster

Hugh de Lacy, 1st Earl of Ulster (~1176 – after December 26, 1242) was the younger son of Hugh de Lacy, Lord of Meath. He was created Earl of Ulster in 1205 by King John of England.

Career

He erected a motte in the 1180s in Carlow, on the site of which Carlow Castle was built in the 13th century.[1] Excavations at Carlow Castle in 1996, found the remains of a series of post-holes inside a curving ditch, running under the walls of the towered keep and therefore pre-dating it. The remains of a corn-drying kiln were found to the north of this. These features were interpreted as representing the remains of the first castle here, whose defences and buildings seem to have been constructed of earth and timber. A reinterpretation of the historical sources suggests that this primary timber castle was built in the early 1180s by Hugh de Lacy for John de Clahull.[2]

In 1199, King John of England authorized de Lacy to wage war on John de Courcy. Hugh captured de Courcy in 1204.[3] An account of his capture appears in the Book of Howth. He granted Drogheda its charter. He continued the conquest of the north-eastern over-kingdom of Ulaid as part of the Norman invasion of Ireland in the 12th century, following de Courcy's success of De Courcy. The Earldom of Ulster was based around the modern counties of Antrim and Down.

He married Emmeline de Riddlesford, the daughter of Walter de Riddlesford about 1242. They had no issue. It was Emmeline's second marriage. Her first husband was Stephen Longespee, grandson of Henry II of England, by whom she had two daughters.[4]

HUGH DE LACY, 4th son of Hugh DE LACY, LORD OF MEATH, by his 1st wife, Rose, daughter of [---] DE MONMOUTH, was born circa 1176. From 1195 he was an ally, but from 1201 the enemy, of John de Curcy. On 31 August 1204 Hugh and his elder brother Walter were promised 8 cantreds of John de Curcy's lands in Ulster and on 13 November following, this grant was confirmed by charter. Being granted a safe-conduct to visit England in March 1205, he was given, on 2 May, the land of Ulster to be held by the same service as that done by John de Curcy; and on 29 May this grant was confirmed, on which date (or earlier) he was created EARL OF ULSTER. He was probably Justiciar of Ireland for a short time in 1208; but when William de Briouze fled to Ireland in 1210, where he was sheltered by the Lacys, Hugh fled to Scotland with William's wife and children after his capture. During the years 1211-19 he participated in the Albigensian Crusade. In September 1221 the King gave him and his retinue safe-conduct to return to England; and in December 1222 the lands which he had obtained from his brother Walter, together with those which he had obtained through his wife, were restored to him by King Henry. These efforts by the Crown to come to terms with Hugh failed. In the autumn of 1223 he invaded Ireland, attacked Meath, besieged Carrickfergus and demolished the castle of Coleraine; and it was not until October-November 1224 that William (Marshal), Earl of Pembroke, the newly appointed Justiciar [IRL], was able to make peace with him. In May 1226 Hugh's lands were granted to his brother Walter, and it was not until 20 April 1227 that he finally recovered his estates. He was loyal to the King during the rest of his life. In the conflict with Richard (Marshal), Earl of Pembroke, in 1234 he fought with Richard de Burgh on the King's side and he accompanied de Burgh in 1235 on his expedition to conquer Connaught. He was summoned to England to confer with the King in May 1234 and April 1237. When peace was made with Scotland in 1237, he was ordered to release all Scots goods in Ulster; and in 1238 he led a force into Tyrone and Donegal to dethrone Donnell MacLoughlin and place Brian O'Neill in control. Numerous churches benefited by his grants. 5077

Marriage Information:

Hugh married Lesceline DE VERDUN, daughter of Bertram DE VERDUN of Alton and Roesia DE WINDSOR, about 1195 5077. (Lesceline DE VERDUN was born about 1178 in Alton, Cheadle, Staffordshire, England 5078 and died before 1234 in Ulster, Eire.)

Marriage Information:

Hugh also married Emmeline DE RIDDLESFORD, daughter of Walter DE RIDELISFORD and Annora DE VITRE. (Emmeline DE RIDDLESFORD was born about 1223 in Ulster, Eire and died in 1276.)

--------------------

Hugh de Lacy, 1st Earl of Ulster (~1176 – after December 26, 1242), was the younger son of Hugh de Lacy, and founded the Earldom of Ulster.

He erected a motte in the 1180s in Carlow, on the site of which Carlow Castle was built in the 13th century.[1] Excavations at Carlow Castle in 1996, found the remains of a series of post-holes inside a curving ditch, running under the walls of the towered keep and therefore pre-dating it. The remains of a corn-drying kiln were found to the north of this. These features were interpreted as representing the remains of the first castle here, whose defences and buildings seem to have been constructed of earth and timber. A reinterpretation of the historical sources suggests that this primary timber castle was built in the early 1180s by Hugh de Lacy for John de Clahull.[2]

In 1199, King John authorized de Lacy to wage war on John de Courcy. Hugh captured de Courcy in 1203. An account of his capture appears in the Book of Howth. He granted Drogheda its charter. He continued the conquest of the east of the province of Ulster during the Norman invasion of Ireland in the 12th century, following the success of De Courcy (died 1219). He founded the Earldom of Ulster based around the modern counties of Antrim and Down.

2. HUGH de Lacy ([1176]-before 26 Dec 1242, bur Carrickfergus, Convent of the Franciscan Friars). He was created Earl of Ulster in 1205. King John addressed letters to "Walter, Hugh and Robert de Lascy…" dated 23 May 1207[833]. The Annals of Dunstable record that “Hugonem de Laci et Walterum fratrem eius” were exiled from Ireland in Aug 1210 by King John[834]. The Annals of Dunstable record that “Hugo de Laci” was expelled “ab Albigensibus” in 1222, returned to England and that his lands in Ireland were restored to him, adding in a later passage that he returned to Ireland in 1223 after the end of the Welsh wars[835]. [836]. A charter dated 27 Dec 1222 records that King Henry III granted "to Hugh de Lascy the land which Walter de Lacy his brother gave to him and the land which formed the marriage of his wife in Ireland"[837]. m firstly LESCELINE de Verdun, daughter of BERTRAM de Verdun Seneschal of Ireland & his second wife Rohese ---. The Annals of Dunstable record that “Hugo de Lasci” repudiated his legitimate wife for adultery in 1225[838]. King Henry III notified William Marshall Earl of Pembroke, by charter dated 12 May 1226, that "he commits to Walter de Lascy the custody of…the land which Hugh de Lascy held in Ulster…with the castles of Rathour and Le Nober which he had in marriage with Leceline his wife of the fee of Nicholas de Verdun"[839]. m secondly as her first husband, EMMELINE de Rydeleford, daughter of WALTER de Rydeleford Lord of Bray & his wife Annora --- (-[18 May 1275/19 Jul 1276]). A charter dated 8 Feb 1243 records that "if A. who was wife of Hugh de Lacy will not take for her husband Stephen Longespee, as the king had requested her, the justiciary shall distrain her to do so in accordance with the custom of Ireland"[840]. A charter dated 25 Apr 1243 mandates "the justiciary of Ireland to cause Emelina, who was the wife of Hugh de Lacy, to have out of his lands in Ulster 40 librates, until he shall otherwise provide for her"[841]. A charter dated 16 May 1244 restored to "Emeline Countess of Ulster…all [her] inheritance from Walter de Rydeleford her father whose heir she is and…dower out of the lands…in Ireland of Hugh late Earl of Ulster her husband"[842]. She married secondly ([16 May/14 Dec] 1244) Stephen Longespee Seneschal of Gascony, Justiciar of Ireland. The Book of Lacock records that “Stephanus Lungespee” married “Emelinam comitissam de Ulton”[843]. A charter dated 16 Dec 1244 orders an enquiry into "what lands Walter de Rideleford, grandfather of Christiana daughter and one of the heirs of Robert de Mariscia, was seised in fee at his death" and "what lands fell to the share of Christiana and what to that of the Countess of Ulster, aunt of Christiana and wife of Stephen Longespee", and to grant seisin of Christiana´s share to "Fulk de Newcastle…[to whom] the king has granted…Christiana´s lands with her marriage"[844]. Hugh [& his first wife] had two children:

a) HUGH de Lacy (-after 1226). m ---. The name of Hugh´s wife is not known. Hugh & his wife had two children:

i) WALTER de Lacy . A charter dated [12 May 1226] records that Walter de Lacy took the property of Hugh de Lacy, as ordered by the king, and that "Walter and Roger, sons of Hugh de Lascy, Hugh´s eldest son" were given as hostages[845].

ii) ROGER de Lacy . A charter dated [12 May 1226] records that Walter de Lacy took the property of Hugh de Lacy, as ordered by the king, and that "Walter and Roger, sons of Hugh de Lascy, Hugh´s eldest son" were given as hostages[846].

b) ROSE de Lacy (-after 1237). Henry III King of England noted that "Waltero de Lascy" had given "Roesiam neptem eius, filiam Hugonis de Lascy" as a hostage, dated 28 Mar 1217[847]. According to Matthew of Paris, the wife of Alan of Galloway "iam defunctus" was the (unnamed) daughter of "Hugonem de Lasey"[848]. The Chronicle of Lanercost records in 1229 that "Alan the lord of Galloway…set out for Ireland and there married the daughter of Hugh de Lacy"[849]. John of Fordun´s Scotichronicon (Continuator) records that "Alanus de Galweia profectus in Hiberniam" married "filiam Hugonis de Lacy" in 1228[850]. If her parentage and marriage is correctly stated in the two sources quoted, the chronology suggests that this daughter must have been born from Hugh´s first marriage, assuming that she was legitimate. She is named "Rose de Lacy" by Keith Stringer, who cites a charter of St Bees which indicates that she was still alive in 1237[851]. m ([1228/29]) as his [fifth wife], ALAN Lord of Galloway, son of ROLAND Lord of Galloway & his wife Elena de Moreville (-[2] Feb 1234, bur Dundraynan).